Friction draft-gear.



W. L. KELLOGG 6., R. W. BURNETT.

FRICTION DRAFT GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I3. 19!]- Patented Mar. 11. 1919.v

2 SHEETS-SHHT 1- MYWUVAW WN Mm m M) \Q M U Referring V draft sills of a car to whlch the draft arms i earns PATENT O WILLIAM L. KELLOGG, 015 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AND RICHARD W. BURNETT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; SAIDBURNE'IT ASSIGNORTO SAID KELLOGG.

rnro'rron DRAFT-GEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

Application filed August 13, 1917; Serial No. 185,934.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat we, WILLIAM L. KEL- LOGG and RICHARD W. BURNETT, both citizens of the United States, residing at Detroit, Michigan, and Chicago, Illinois, respectively, have invented'certain new and useful Improvements in Friction Draft- Gears, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its primary object the. provision of a compact and eflicient friction draft gear of high capacity, in which the resistance to movement of the draw bar increases rapidly from the beginning, to the end of its movement under draft or buffing forces, and which provides sufficient reaction only to insure a rapid return of the gear to normal condition when the force is removed.

A further object of our invention is the provision of a friction draft gear which does not require a yoke, and in which the friction elements may be of :sufiicient size to provide the requisite friction and prevent undue wear, regardless of the distance be-.

tween the draft lugs on the car to which the draft gear is applied.

Further obJectS and advantages of our invention will be apparent as it is better understood by reference to the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, illustrating the preferred embodiments thereof, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the draft gear and cooperating parts of a car;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal through the draft gear;

Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation of the draft gear the draft sills being in section;

Fig. 4 is a section on the lines- 1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of section V Fig. 2

Big. 6 is a side elevation partially in sec- 'tioii illustrating a slightly different form of keeper for the springs;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation illustratlng another form of keeper;

Fig. 8 is a detail in elevation of a port on of the structure illustrated in Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 is a detail in plan illustrating the application ofour invention'to draft arms intended and. adapted for use in tandem spring yokes.

' tothedrawing, 5 indicates the 6 are secured, the latter being providedwith forward and rearlugs 7 and S'respectively. A housing 9 is loosely disposed between the draft arm .6 engaging at either end the lugs 7 and 8. The housing is provided with an integral top plate and flanges 10 at the bottom edges of the side walls to ,receive a keeper '11 which is secured by a pin 12 extending through. openings in lips 13 and friction elements 16. and 17 and is provided with forwardly projecting arms 19 between which thebutt of the draw bar 21 is disposed and fastened by'means of a key 22. The rear end of the member 18 is provided with a tail 23 supported in a yoke 2-1 which is fastened to the flanges ofthe draft sills 5 as indicated in Fig. 3. Preferably the member 18 is cored, as indicated in Fig. 2 to reduce the weight thereof.

The upper friction member 16 is provided with lugs 25 which engage the ends of the housing 9 and with lugs 26 disposed in suitable openings in the housing 9 whereby 1ongitudinal movement of the friction member 16 with respect to the housing is effectually prevented. Both the upper and lower friction members 16 and 17 are provided with lugs 27 which engage between corresponding lugs 28 on the inner faces of the walls of the housing 9 to prevent longitudinal movement of either of the members with respect to the housing. that the upper and lower friction members 16 and 17 are interchangeable and that the lugs 26 on the lower friction member 17 prevent lateral movement of the springs 15.

From the foregoing it will be readily It is to be noted.

pressing the springs 15. The greater portion of the work represented will be absorbed in overcoming the friction between the member 18 and friction members 16 and 17. Additional frictional retardation is provided by the engagement of the edges of the lower frictional member 17 with the walls of the housing and also by engagement of the housing with the lugs 7 and 8. When the force is removed the springs 15 will return the parts to normal condition but in so doing they must overcome the friction between the parts and consequently cannot rebound with sufficient force to damage the car as frequently occurs with draft gears at present in use.

To prevent compression of the springs 15 to a point which will result in breakage thereof, we provide lugs 29 on the member 18. These lugs operate between lugs 28 and 30 on the inner faces of the housing. Thus when the member 18 has reached the desired limit of its travel in either direction, the *lugs 29 engage the lugs 28 and 30 and further movement is thereby prevented. Before this can occur, however, substantially all of the work will have been absorbed in overcoming the friction between the surfaces, so that practically no shock will be felt in the car:

In order that the frictional resistance may increase from the beginning to the end of the draw bar movement under draft or bufiing forces we preferably cut away the material on the members 16, 17 and 18 at alternate intersections of the planes, forming spaces 31 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. As the-member 18 moves in either direction between the friction members 16 and 17 the amount of surface in contact will rapidly increase, thus increasing the frictional resistance'to further movement and the wear ing surface in contact and prolonging the life of the draft gear.

In Fig. 6 of the drawing we have illustrcteda slightly different form of our invention in which the keeper 32 is disposed between the. side walls of the housing and is provided with an upwardly projecting lug 33. The side Walls are provided with openings 34 to receive keys 35 having flanges 36 attheir ends. The openings 34 are sutliciently large to receive the flanged ends of the keys 35 which are disposed on either side of the lug 33". When the parts are assembled, the springs 37 hold the keys 35 in positionto prevent escape of the keeper 33.

In Figs. 7 and 8 we have illustrated another form of our invention in which the keeper 38 is supported on the housing 39 by hook shaped lips 40 engaging stationary pins 41 on the housing and by similar hook shaped lips 42 held in position by a pin 43 passing through the housing 39 and locked by means of a cotter 44. In the last two forms of our invention the springs are slightly compressed when the parts are assembled.

In Fig. 9 we have illustrated another form of our invention adapted'for use with draft arms 45 having a central lug 46 and end lugs 47 intended for use with tandem spring yokes. In this form of our invention the housing 48 is provided with recesses 49 to receive the central lugs 46 on the draft arms.

From the foregoing it will be readily understood that we have perfected .a very=compact and efficient friction draft gear which has numerous advantages over such :devices as heretofore known. Our draft :gear is relatively inexpensive, may be quickly assembled and is of very high capacity since :it will successfully absorb forces which would destroy an ordinary spring draft gear.

Various changes may be made in the form construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its material advantages, the forms hereinbefore described being merely preferred embodiments thereof.

lVe claim:

1. In a friction draftgear the combination of amember adapted to be connectedtoia draw bar and having its opposite faces formed to provide a plurality of pairs of oppositely directed planes inclined to the longitudinal aXis of said member, resiliently biased means capable of movement only in directions transverse to said longitudinal. axis and frictionally engaging-said planes to =retard longitudinal movement of said memher a housing embracingsaid member and resiliently biased means :and cooperating lugs on member and housing to positively limit longitudinal movement of said member.

2. In a friction draft gear the combination of a member adapted to be connected to a draw bar and having its opposite faces formed to provide a plurality of pairs of oppositely directed planes inclined to the longitudinal axis of said member, a housing embracing said member, friction elements, having cooperating planes, within said housing in both sides of said member and held by said housing against movement in directions parallel to the longitudinal axis of said member and cooperating means on said housing and member to positively limit longitudinal movement of said member.

3. In a friction draft gear the combination of a member-adapted to be connected to a draw bar and having a face formed to provide a plurality of pairs of oppositely directed planes inclined to the longitudinal axis of said member and resiliently biased means capable of movement only in directions transverse to said longitudinal axis and frictionally engaging said planes to retard longitudinal movement of said member said planes being cut away at alternate intersections on the member and resiliently biased means respectively to provide increased surface contact as said member moves in either direction.

4L. In a friction draft gear for'railway 7 cars the combination of a member adapted to be connected to a draw bar and having its opposite faces formed to provide a plurality of pairs of oppositely directed planes inclined to the longitudinal axis of said member, means capable of movement in directions transverse to said longitudinal axis and frietionally engaging said planes to retard longitudinal movement of said member in both directions and a housing inclosing said member and means, said housing being freely movable vertically with relation to the car body.

5. In a friction draft gear for railway cars the combination of a member adapted to be connected to a draw bar and having its opposite faces formed to provide a plurality of pairs of oppositely directed planes inclined to the longitudinal axis of saidmember, friction elements on both sides of said member having cooperating planes, a housing having means for preventingmovement of said elements in directions parallel to said longitudinal axis, means in said housing permitting a limited movement of said elements in directions transverse thereto and a connection between said housing and the car body permitting vertical movement of the former relatively to the latter.

6. In a friction draft gear for railway cars the combination of a longitudinally movable member adapted to be connected to a draw bar and having its oppositeifaces formed to provide a plurality of pairs of 7. In a friction draft gear for railway cars the combination of a longitudinally movable member adapted to be connected to a draw bar and having its opposite faces formed to provide a plurality of pairs of oppositely directed planes inclined to the longitudinal axis of said member, friction elements on both sides of said member having cooperating planes, means for preventing movement of said elements in directions 7 parallel to said longitudinal axis, a housing embracing said member and elements,

springs supported in said housing to resiliently limit movement of said elements in directions transverse to said axis and draft arms on the car body having means to prevent longitudinal movementof said housing while permitting vertical movement thereof. 8. In a friction draft gear for railway cars the combination of a longitudinally movable member adapted to be connected to a draw bar and having its opposite faces formed to provide a plurality of pairs of oppositely directed planes inclined to the longitudinal axis of said member, friction elements having cooperating planes, a housing embracing said member and elements and having means for preventing movement of said elements in directions parallel to said longitudinal axis, said housing being freely movable vertically with relation to the car body, springs supported in said housing to resiliently limit movement of said elements in directions transverse to said axis and a removable keeper to retain said springs in operative position.

9. In a friction draft gear for railway cars the combination of a member adapted to be connected to a draw bar and having its opposite faces formed to provide a plurality of pairs of oppositely directed planes inclined to the longitudinal axis of said member, resiliently biased means capable of movement only in directions transverse to said longitudinal axis and frietionally engaging said planes to retard longitudinal movement of said member in both directions and a housing embracing said member and tions, means to positively limit longitudinal movement of said member, a housing embracing said member and resiliently biased means and connections between said housing and the car body to prevent longitudinal movement of the former while permitting vertical movement thereof relatively to said carbody.

11. In a friction draft gear for railway cars the combination of a member adapted to be connected to a draw bar and having its opposite faces formed to provide a plurality of pairs of oppositely directed planes inclined to the longitudinal axis of said member, a housing embracing said member and connected to the car body, said housing hold said elements in engagement with said being vertically movable relatively to said member to resiliently retard longitudinal 10 Car body, friction elements having planes movement thereof.

adapted to cooperate With the planes of said WILLIAM L. KELLOGG. member, means on the housing :to prevent RICHARD WV. BURNETT. movement of said friction elements in di- Witnesses: V

rections parallel to the longitudinal axis of ERNES'ILH. MERCHANT,

said member and springs in said housing to T. WESTERBERG.

Copies ofthis patent may be obtained'for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. '0. 

